Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Reservist Stays in Touch With Students

By Air Force Senior Airman David Dobrydney
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 1, 2009 - Air Force Master Sgt. Linda Adams has been an elementary school teacher for the past four years. After just one day on the job in the current school year, however, she departed on a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia with her Air Force Reserve unit from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

"I was able to say hi to my new class, and then I was off," said Adams, the 746th Aircraft Maintenance Unit support section noncommissioned officer in charge.

But this teacher has bridged the distance by keeping up with her students online. Adams' school, Kate Shepard Elementary in Mobile, Ala., maintains a blog site where students can write to and speak with local officials.

"They talk to different people like congressmen or school superintendents," Adams said. "It's a good way for them to learn writing skills and work on their communication skills."

When Adams left for deployment, school officials invited her to join the site. "We are so excited that Ms. Adams is sharing her experiences with our students," said Michelle Dumas, the school principal. "Communicating through the blog allows students to utilize technology and expand their global awareness."

Since her arrival in Southwest Asia, Adams said, students have been sending her e-mails, pictures and letters. "I try my best to answer all of them," she said.

Some students have told her about relatives who serve in the armed forces. For those who don't have military family members, Adams has taken the opportunity to not only help with academic questions, but also to educate her students about the Air Force and its mission.

"The boys will ask questions like, 'what kind of gun do you have?' or 'do you drive a tank?'" Adams said.

"They think of the Air Force and they think of planes, so I'm always asked if I'm a pilot," she said. "I tell the kids not everyone is a pilot and I talk to them about my job as an aircraft mechanic along with other careers in the Air Force."

Adams said her students also often ask about life in Southwest Asia. "They've asked about the country, what it looks like, and what they have here," she said. "I tell them there are malls, sports and music here just like at home. I sent a picture of me riding a camel and they were real excited about that."

Previously, Adams taught fifth-grade students. This year, she was assigned to a kindergarten class.

"Knowing I had to deploy, I didn't even tell them I was their teacher because I didn't want to worry them," she said. "They had more important things to think about than their teacher being gone for four months." However, she recently sent her new class a video of her reading a storybook to them.

"The school's principal asked me to interact with them while here because when I come home, they won't be new students anymore," she said. "I don't want them to wonder who I am when I walk in."

In the meantime, her former students and other students are enjoying the opportunity to communicate with her.

"We've learned a lot about Ms. Adams' job in the Air Force by talking to her on the blog," said Rueben, a fourth grade student. "I've learned that not everyone in the Air Force is a pilot and carries a gun."

"We love to keep in touch with Ms. Adams on the blog because we really miss her," said Ebony, another fourth grader. "Our entire school is proud of her defending our country, but we can't wait for her to come back home to teaching."

(Senior Airman David Dobrydney serves with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs.)

Catch up with the news from Baghdad

December 1st, 2009 History is being made every day in Baghdad's International Zone, where many of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 32nd Brigade is deployed. Wisconsin Army Guard journalists provide the inside scoop in the latest issue of In The Zone.

http://dma.wi.gov/dma/arng/zone/In_the_zone_November_2009.pdf

Belgians, Americans to Celebrate Anniversary of Landmark Victory

By Kevin Downey
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 1, 2009 - Sixty-five years after World War II's landmark Battle of the Bulge, U.S. and Belgian troops will again march side by side in Bastogne on Dec. 12 and 13. Veterans and servicemembers from both nations are scheduled to join thousands of well-wishers, including town officials, dignitaries and local residents, in commemorating the Allied forces' victory in the famous World War II battle.

"The traditional carnival-like atmosphere in Bastogne over the weekend celebrates the historic grit and determination of our two nations' veterans 65 years ago, and the solemn ceremony at the Mardasson Memorial overlooking the city honors the great sacrifices our countrymen have made," said U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Commander Col. James P. Drago. "The spirit of which our Benelux community shares with the citizens of Bastogne demonstrates the undying bond between our Allied nations."

The Battle of the Bulge, which lasted from Dec. 16, 1944, to Jan. 25, 1945, was the largest land battle involving American forces in World War II. More than a million Allied troops fought in the battle across the Ardennes, including about 500,000 Americans and 55,000 British. More than 19,000 U.S. troops were killed in action.

The schedule of events for Dec. 12 includes the 32nd Historical Walk, with marches of 8, 12, 16 or 23 kilometers starting in Bastogne, followed by a parade, commemorative ceremony and wreath laying at Gen. Patton's Monument and McAuliffe Square. Historical re-enactments will be held in the evening, along with a memorial ceremony honoring the more than 75,000 U.S. soldiers killed or wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.

On Dec. 13, there will be a paratrooper drop at the Mardasson Memorial at 11 a.m. local time.

(Kevin Downey works for U.S. Army Garrison Benelux public affairs.)

Global Strike Command Assumes Ballistic Missile Mission

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 1, 2009 - Air Force Global Strike Command assumes the U.S. Air Force's Intercontinental Ballistic Missile mission today. The transfer of the mission is part of a phased approach, which began in August with the activation of the Global Strike Command, to unify all Air Force nuclear-capable assets under one command, officials said.

"We are well on our way to consolidating all of our Air Force assets in this critical mission area under a single command -- one that will serve as a single major command voice to maintain the high standards necessary for stewardship of our nation's most powerful weapons," said Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, commander of the Global Strike Command.

The new command gains three missile wings, one each at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; and Minot Air Force Base, N.D., with the assumption of the entire 20th Air Force mission, including that organization's responsibility for all of the United States' 450 ICBMs.

The 576th Flight Test Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., as well as the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., also now come under the Command's responsibility. Previously, all of those units were part of Air Force Space Command.

"The creation of this new command reflects the Air Force's firm and unshakable conviction that nuclear deterrence and global strike operations are a special trust and responsibility — one that we take very seriously," Klotz said.

On Feb. 1, Global Strike Command also will gain 8th Air Force, based at Barksdale, and along with it, 8th Air Force's nuclear-capable bombers. At that time, the command also will acquire the B-52 Stratofortress wings at Barksdale and Minot, and the B-2 Spirit wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.

The Air Force Global Strike Command was established in an effort to boost security and reduce errors.

In a 2007 incident, nuclear weapons were loaded aboard a B-52 bomber at Minot Air Force Base and flown to Barksdale before the mistake was discovered. In another incident, nuclear nose cones mistakenly were shipped to Taiwan. As a result, then-Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and then-Air force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley resigned. Another 15 officers, including six generals, were disciplined.

The new command is part of a roadmap to improving the Air Force's Stewardship of its nuclear program, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said during an October 2008 Pentagon media roundtable to introduce the plan.

"This is a critical milestone for us. It's a new starting point for reinvigoration of this enterprise," he said then. "The changes we make today will help us focus on this enterprise regardless of other changes in Air Force missions along the way, and regardless of how big or small the nuclear enterprise is."

Department Observes World AIDS Day, Notes Contributions

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service

The Defense Department is commemorating World HIV/AIDS Awareness Day today with a broad range of activities with partner militaries aimed at education and prevention, and with progress toward developing the first-ever vaccine.

“Working Together,” the theme of this year’s worldwide commemoration, describes the role the department plays in the overall U.S. government effort, as well as how U.S. military members work hand in hand with other militaries around the world to address the disease, said Rick Shaffer, director of the Defense Department’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program.

Shaffer called recently announced progress an Army-sponsored program is making toward developing an HIV/AIDS vaccine one of the most exciting results of that collaboration.

The research began in 1995 when the Thai national army approached the United States to establish a world program to monitor HIV.

The fruit of that partnership, which includes the Thai Ministry of Public Health, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the National Institutes of Health, Sanofi Pasteur and Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases, is an experimental vaccine that dramatically reduces the risk of infection with the HIV/AIDS virus.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of progress for a vaccine, and it’s been shown for the first time that it may be possible to prevent HIV/AIDS,” Shaffer said.

With an HIV/AIDS vaccine “still a number of years down the road,” the U.S. military supports the overall U.S. government HIV/AIDS program largely by helping partner militaries with their own prevention, care and treatment programs.

The Defense Department’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, based at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, serves as the department’s executive agent for the technical assistance, management and administrative support of the global HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment for foreign militaries.

The U.S. military has provided partner militaries support, technical assistance and resources for their own programs since 2001, Shaffer said. That effort expanded in 2003 with the launch of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which State Department officials describe as the largest commitment any country has ever made to combat a single disease.

The Defense Department currently has HIV/AIDS prevention programs in 80 countries around the world.

Shaffer called these partnerships a way to enhance medical security cooperation – just as military exercises and exchanges promote other aspects of security. That’s important for overall security and stability, because the prevalence of AIDS weakens governments, militaries and economies and can hinder peacekeeping efforts.

“It’s been a real benefit for both the U.S. military, as well as the partner militaries, to be part of PEPFAR and have this mission,” Shaffer said.

Today, in recognition of World HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the U.S. military is supporting a variety of activities around the world to increase awareness and promote prevention.

U.S. Africa Command sponsored a forum of health specialists, doctors and staff yesterday at its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, to discuss positive trends in combating HIV/AIDS.

Maj. Wes Palmer, a health specialist in Africom’s health division, reported improvements since 2008, with the most dramatic decline yet in new infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the United Nations and World Health Organization, the region’s annual HIV-related mortality dropped 18 percent since 2004, and Sub-Saharan Africa experienced a 25-percent decrease in new infections between 1995 and 2008.

Meanwhile, U.S. and partner militaries are coming together today through a variety of special activities to provide camaraderie and fun – as well as HIV/AIDS education, counseling and testing, Shaffer said.

In Kenya, counseling and testing is being offered during local soccer matches, beauty contests and body-building contests. In Liberia, a kickball and volleyball match is bringing together the host country’s military, U.S. Navy Seabees and other partners. In Uganda, the military, U.S Embassy, Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Agency for International Development are sponsoring a game show based on the American TV show “Jeopardy” that’s designed to increase HIV awareness and prevention.

If there’s a single lesson from the U.S. and global HIV/AIDS efforts, it’s the importance of comprehensive programs with established policies and priorities and top-level emphasis, Shaffer said. While optimistic about the collective progress the programs are making, he emphasized that it’s far too soon to claim victory over HIV/AIDS.

"The Department of Defense is proud to be an implementing partner in what has been a bold call for action abroad and an equally bold call for a new way of doing business here at home," he said. "We look forward to continuing to answer the call to come together in the common cause of turning the tide against the HIV/AIDS pandemic."

MILITARY CONTRACTS December 1, 2009

AIR FORCE
United Technologies Corp., East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $1,722,906,899 contract which provides F117-PW-100 installation of engines, spare engines and associated data for the C-17 aircraft. A total of up to 208 engines may be acquired under this contract. At this time, no money has been obligated. 577 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8626-07-D-2073).

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $57,300,000 contract which provides non-personal services to support the operations and sustainment of Milstar and the Defense Satellite Communications System for the next eight months. At this time, $28,650,000 has been obligated. HQ MCSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8808-10-C-0002).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $39,500,000 contract which provides contractor sustainment for the AEHF satellite ground segment from Dec. 1, 2009, to Sep. 30, 2010. At this time, $39,500,000 has been obligated. MCSW/PKA, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-02-C-0002, P00399).

The Boeing Co., Seattle, was awarded a $28,000,000 contract which provides for one Boeing 737 C-40B aircraft. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. AESS/SYKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-10-C-6599).

United Launch Services, LLC, Centennial, Colo., was awarded a $16,024,713 contract which provides the final close out of the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) III Delta II contract and transfer of required MLV III assets to a NASA contract. At this time, $16,024,713 has been obligated. LRS/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-93-C-0004, P00386).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, was awarded a $10,640,071 contract which provides an earned award fee based on the contractor's performance for engineering, manufacturing and development activities in support of the Global Hawk Program. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-4600, P00338).

GCC/Thomco, LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and CCI Group, LLC, Shalimar, Fla., were each awarded a $10,000,000 contract which provides acquisition of base engineering requirements, maintenance, repair and minor construction efforts. At this time, no money has been obligated. 96 CONS/PKAC, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA2823-10-D-0001, FA2823-10-D-0002).

NAVY
Lockheed Martin, Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $24,306,180 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-5103) to exercise an option for fiscal 2010 Aegis Platform Systems Engineering Agent activities and Aegis Modernization Advanced Capability Build engineering. The Platform Systems Engineering Agent manages the in-service combat systems configurations, as well as the integration of new or upgraded capability into the CG57 class of ships and the DDG 51 class of ships. Aegis Modernization will provide upgrades to Aegis cruisers and Aegis destroyers and will be applicable to all Aegis ships with a computer program that is backfit compatible to Baseline 2 cruisers. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., Fort Wayne, Ind., is being awarded a $12,738,186 delivery order against a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for the procurement of 30 electronic modules for the Royal Australian Air Force AF/A-18F aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Fort Wayne and is expected to be completed in August 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Capps Shoe Co.*, Lynchburg, Va, is being awarded a maximum $5,652,220 firm-fixed-price, partial set-aside contract for men's dress shoes. Other location of performance is Gretna, Va. Using services are Army and Marine Corps. The original proposal was web solicited with four responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising the third of four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Dec. 3, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (SPM1C1-07-D-0023).

Wolverine World Wide, Rockford, Mich., is being awarded a maximum $5,329,730 firm-fixed-price, partial set-aside contract for men's dress shoes. Other locations of performance are Jonesboro, Ariz.; Big Rapids, Mich.; and Cedar Springs, Mich. Using services are Army and Marine Corps. The original proposal was web solicited with four responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is exercising the third of four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Dec. 3, 2010. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (SPM1C1-07-D-0022).

DoD Remains Strong Partners in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

On this international World AIDS Day, the Military Health System joins the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in honoring the millions of people around the world who have been impacted by the AIDS epidemic while recognizing the significant strides that have been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS over the last 25 years. Launched in 2003 to combat global HIV/AIDS, PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history.

"The Department of Defense is proud to be an implementing partner in what has been a bold call for action abroad and an equally bold call for a new way of doing business here at home," said Richard Shaffer, Ph.D., director for the DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP). "We look forward to continuing to answer the call to come together in the common cause of turning the tide against the HIV/AIDS pandemic."

DHAPP, based at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) in San Diego, Calif., is the DoD Executive Agent for the technical assistance, management, and administrative support of the global HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment for foreign militaries. DHAPP administers funding, directly conducts training, and provides technical assistance for focus countries and other bilateral countries. DHAPP oversees the contributions to PEPFAR of a variety of DoD organizations, which fall under the various regional military commands, as well as specialized DoD institutions whose primary mission falls within the continental United States.

DoD currently has HIV/AIDS prevention programs in eighty countries, where World AIDS Day celebrations and activities will take place. In Kenya, counseling and testing will be offered during local soccer matches, beauty contests and body building contests. In Liberia, a Kickball and Volley ball match will be held between the country military, SEA BEES (US Navy) and Implementing Partners. In Uganda, in collaboration with the CDC, USAID, the Embassy and other local partners, a game show based on the American TV show Jeopardy will take place to increase HIV awareness and prevention

For more information on DHAPP, please visit www.health.mil/profiles.

For more information on PEPFAR, please visit www.pepfar.gov.

About the MHS
America's Military Health System is a unique partnership of medical educators, medical researchers, and health care providers and their support personnel worldwide. This DoD enterprise consists of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; the medical departments of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Combatant Command surgeons; and TRICARE providers (including private sector health care providers, hospitals and pharmacies).

Bryan Anderson: Triumph Over Adversity

By Jessica Klem Health.mil

Former Army sergeant and triple amputee Bryan Anderson offered a message of perseverance and courage at a recent event held in McLean, Va.. Anderson, who received the Purple Heart for his injuries suffered during a deployment to Iraq, urged those in the audience to “experience life and have fun – you only live once.”

Enlisting in the Army in 2001, Anderson was first assigned as a prison guard at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. His first deployment to Iraq came in 2003. He says he landed in Iraq and found women and children in front of their mud huts, cheering the U.S. troops’ arrival.

“Once we saw that, we said ‘we need to help these people,’” Anderson said. “No one bitched about the sand and heat anymore.”

Upon arriving home after that first deployment, Anderson told family and friends about the excitement and camaraderie he enjoyed in Iraq. Four months later, the letter came in the mail: Anderson was to redeploy to Iraq in another four months.

“Then I started paying attention to the news, to how Iraq [had changed],” he said. “I didn’t think it could be any worse than the actual invasion.”

He deployed to Iraq for a second time in January 2005. On his way to the base after arrival, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the road nearby his truck.

Anderson had seen a few IEDs in 2003, but he said those were made out of soda cans – these IEDs were bigger, harder to spot and were capable of doing much more damage. During his second deployment, Anderson says he saw about 60 IEDs explode daily in just the six-mile radius he patrolled as a sergeant in the Military Police.

“We joked about the IEDs just to stay sane,” he said.

On Oct. 23, 2005, Anderson set out with his unit at 11 a.m. to visit an Iraqi police station but they never made it there. While driving the last Humvee in the convoy, Anderson was lighting a cigarette when he saw a flash of light and black smoke engulf the vehicle.

Anderson knew what was happening, that an IED had exploded and that he needed to get out of the Humvee immediately. But he couldn’t move. He remembers his friends pulling him out of the truck and laying him on the sidewalk.

“I was just trying to get to my gun – we were being attacked,” he said.

It was then that he realized his friends acting strangely, so he started assessing himself – he was missing his left hand and a fingertip on his right hand was gone. His friends tried to stop him before he looked down. Both his legs were gone. “I asked my buddy if I would ever be with a woman again, and we all laughed – we sat there for 12 minutes joking around until the helicopter came.”

Seven days later, Anderson woke up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington with his whole family there to support him.

“The accident hurt [my twin brother] Bob more than it hurt me,” he said. “It hurt to see my family suffering.”

Anderson ultimately spent 13 months at WRAMC in surgeries and physical therapy, where he says he received excellent care.

But four months into rehabilitation, Anderson hit a dark place. “I realized I’m half a person,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep, I was having panic and anxiety attacks. I didn’t want to be alone, but I didn’t want to see anyone, either. But after a while, I just realized I couldn’t live like this.”

Realizing he needed a “real life” away from both the Army and rehab, Anderson went to Las Vegas. He tried to not think about his legs or what had happened – he just had fun. He quickly realized this was his new life goal – to just have fun. He began rock climbing, snowboarding, wake boarding and white water rafting. Nothing about his new body would stop him from fun activities. Anderson has prosthetic legs that enable him to walk but still spends most of his time in his wheelchair.

As Anderson is one of only a few triple amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, he has learned a valuable lesson with his new life.

“You never know when or how an opportunity will come up,” he said. “People are scared of new things or changes, but that’s what I’m about. Life can take you in so many different ways. Get out there, experience life and have fun – you only live once.”

Bryan Anderson is the national spokesman for Quantum Rehab, the maker of Anderson’s powered wheelchairs and other assistive devices, and a spokesman for USA Cares, a nonprofit organization that provides military families with financial and advocacy support in their time of need. He appeared in the HBO documentary “Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq.”

For more information on Anderson, visit his Web site at www.andersonactive.com.

Choices Let Guard, Reserve Members Transition with TRICARE

The activation and deactivation cycle of National Guard and Reserve members can be a challenging process for service members and their families. TRICARE now offers many options for recently deactivated guardsmen, reservists and their families to maintain their health during the transition from active duty back to civilian life.

After serving in contingency operations for more than 30 days, deactivated guardsmen, reservists and their family members are eligible to receive care through the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) for 180 days after deactivation. TAMP participants can choose TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Prime if it is locally available. Under TAMP, TRICARE Prime requires re-enrollment for sponsors and family members, but there are no fees associated with enrollment.

During TAMP, if a guardsman or reservist has a newly diagnosed medical condition that can be resolved within 180 days of diagnosis and the condition is service-related, he or she may apply for Transitional Care for Service-Related Conditions (TCSRC). To treat the condition TCSRC extends transitional coverage for up to 180 additional days from the date of diagnosis. For more information go to http://www.tricare.mil/tcsrc.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) was created to support reservists and guardsmen and their families while they’re not on active duty. TRS is premium-based coverage qualified National guard and Reserve members may purchase at any time. For 2009 premiums are $47.51 per month for individual coverage and $180.17 per month for member-and-family coverage, and rates are adjusted annually. Participants can get care from any TRICARE-authorized provider and in military treatment facilities on a space-available basis. TRS participants must meet a deductible based on the sponsor’s pay grade before cost-sharing of services begins.

To qualify for TRS, a guardsman or reservist must be a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve and not eligible for, or covered by, the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. Coverage cannot overlap with other TRICARE programs such as TAMP.

TRS coverage automatically ends when a Guardsman or Reservist is activated. Once deactivated, sponsors can purchase TRS again if they still qualify. For more information on TRS, go to http://www.tricare.mil/trs. Reservists and guardsmen can qualify for and purchase TRS coverage online at the Guard and Reserve Web Portal at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/index.jsp.

The Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) is another health care option for qualified National Guard and Reserve members. Guardsmen and reservists not eligible for TRICARE can get more information about CHCBP at http://www.tricare.mil/chcbp.

While covered under TRS, TAMP or CHCBP, Reserve and National Guard members and their families have TRICARE prescription drug coverage. They may also purchase dental care coverage through the TRICARE Dental Program at any time.

Learn more about TRICARE options through the activation and deactivation cycle online at the TRICARE beneficiary portal at http://tricare.mil/mybenefit.

About TRICARE Management Activity and the Military Health System
TRICARE Management Activity, the Defense Department activity that administers the health care plan for the uniformed services, retirees and their families, serves more than 9.5 million eligible beneficiaries worldwide in the Military Health System (MHS). The mission of the MHS is to enhance Department of Defense and national security by providing health support for the full range of military operations. The MHS provides quality medical care through a network of providers, military treatment facilities, medical clinics and dental clinics worldwide. For more about the MHS go to www.health.mil.